and not our own; then we should look hopefully, peacefully,
contentedly, on the matters which are too apt now to fret us; for we
should say more often than we do, 'It is the Lord: let him do what
seemeth to him good.'

When we see new opinions taking hold of men's minds; when we see
great changes becoming certain; then, instead of being angry and
terrified, we should say with Gamaliel the wise, 'Let them alone: if
this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought; if it be
of God, you cannot overthrow it, lest haply you be found fighting
against God.'

If, again, we fancied ourselves aggrieved by any law, we should not
say, 'It is unjust, therefore I will not obey it:' for it would seem
a small matter to us whether the law was unjust to us, which only
means, in most cases, that the law is hard on us personally, and that
we do not like it; for almost every one considers things just which
make for his own interest, while whatever is against his interest is
of course unjust. We should say, 'Let the law be hard on me, yet I
will obey it for the Lord's sake; if it can be altered by fair and
lawful means, well and good; but if not, I will take it as one more
burden which I am to bear patiently for the sake of him who lays it
on me, Christ my Lord and my King.'

The true question with us ought to be, Does the law force us to do
that which is wrong?

If so, we are bound not to obey it, as the Jews were bound not to
obey the law which commanded Caesar's image to be set up in the
Temple. But if any man knows of a law in this land which compels him